Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to wireless digital communication and, more specifically, to a set of optimizations applicable to wireless networks operating in television (TV) whitespace bands.
Description of the Related Art
A conventional network system generally includes a collection of different nodes configured to interoperate with one another. Those nodes may be configured to communicate with one another on a variety of different channels, including, for example, television whitespace (TVWS) channels.
When a node initially joins a network of devices that communicate on TVWS channels, the node initiates a registration procedure with an access point in order to become authorized to communicate on one or more specific TVWS channels. In doing so, the node typically transmits a registration request to the access point. The access point may then communicate with a TVWS database in order to validate the registration request. The TVWS database stores, among other things, data indicating available TVWS channels in particular regions. When validating a registration request, the TVWS database generally provides a channel map for the node that indicates a list of available channels in the region occupied by the node.
In order to comply with federal communications committee (FCC) regulations, the registration request should include various types of information associated with the node. Specifically, the registration request should include a node address (e.g. media access control (MAC) address or Internet protocol (IP) address), a federal communication committee (FCC) identification number, a node serial number, the location of the node, the height of an antenna associated with the node, the name of the business that owns the node, and contact information for a person responsible for the node (name, street address, email address, and telephone number). The TVWS database relies on this information in order to validate the registration request.
In some situations, the node must initiate the registration procedure after having already registered to participate in the network. For example, if the node changes locations and becomes coupled to a new access point, the node would need to register with that new access point in order to participate in the network. Alternatively, if the node reboots (or the access point to which the node is coupled reboots), then the node would need to register with the access point again in order to participate in the network. Each time the node registers to participate in the network, the node must provide all of the information described above within the registration request. Similarly, the access point must perform the validation procedure described above and communicate that information to the TVWS database.
One problem with this approach is that a node may switch access points frequently, and, thus, the registration procedure described above may need to be performed repeatedly. For example, a modern node may be incorporated into a mobile device and may thus migrate between different regions associated with different access points. The node would thus need to register with each different access point upon entering each different region. Each registration request issued by the node includes data that is mostly identical to data associated with previous registration requests issued by the node. Consequently, the network may become clogged with registration requests that include mostly redundant data.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is an improved technique for registering nodes to participate in a TVWS network.